1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automotive door latches, and particularly to a fixture for aligning a striker on an automotive body with a latch on an associated door, so that the striker can be accurately installed without trial-and-error alignment procedures.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Conventional automotive latch systems often include a striker mounted on the automotive body at an edge of the door opening and a latch mounted in an edge of the door. In order for the latch system to operate correctly, it is necessary that the striker be aligned with the latch at the time the striker is installed.
Typically, the striker includes a mounting plate seated flatwise on an edge wall of a door opening, and a U-shaped rod or roller extending outwardly from said mounting plate so as to be in the path of the latch located on the door. The mounting plate may be secured to the wall of the door opening by one or more screws extendable through vertical slots in the wall for connection with nuts located on the concealed face of the wall. The vertical slots permit the striker to be adjusted vertically so as to be aligned with the latch on the associated door.
The striker alignment operation will sometimes involve securing the striker mounting plate on the fixed wall, then closing the door to ascertain the extent of misalignment, then loosening the mounting plate, and resecuring the plate in a position calculated to correct the misalignment. Some trial and error in repositioning of the plate is usually required. The mounting screws have to be loosened and retightened each time the striker plate is to be repositioned. The process is somewhat time-consuming and not always fully successful.